The Groundlings Theatre

Owner description: Melrose Avenue's Groundlings have been practicing their high-octane brand of anything-goes improvisation for nearly three... more » Owner description: Melrose Avenue's Groundlings have been practicing their high-octane brand of anything-goes improvisation for nearly three decades. Audiences know the group for their wacky sketch comedy and lightning audience participation rounds, but for aspiring comedians and writers it's the Groundlings School that's the real draw. With courses in beginning and advanced improv, sketch and monologue comedy, the school has trained several generations of young wits. Its alumni includes a laundry list of "SNL"-ers (Phil Hartman, Julia Sweeney, Will Ferrell,... Read More

Owner description: Melrose Avenue's Groundlings have been practicing their high-octane brand of anything-goes improvisation for nearly three... more » Owner description: Melrose Avenue's Groundlings have been practicing their high-octane brand of anything-goes improvisation for nearly three decades. Audiences know the group for their wacky sketch comedy and lightning audience participation rounds, but for aspiring comedians and writers it's the Groundlings School that's the real draw. With courses in beginning and advanced improv, sketch and monologue comedy, the school has trained several generations of young wits. Its alumni includes a laundry list of "SNL"-ers (Phil Hartman, Julia Sweeney, Will Ferrell, Laraine Newman), Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson and Emmy-winning "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow. The theatre was also the home of Paul Reubens' early, raunchier version of "Pee-Wee's Playhouse." With pristine standards and a pool of hundreds of talented newcomers to draw from, the troupe offers some of the quickest, cleverest improv in town, cozily presented in their own 100-seat theater. « less